Magneto generator



April 9, 1940. E. B NOWOSIELSKI MAGNETO GENERATOR med Sept. 29. 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 'INVENTOR.

LUjfnes/s: BY 'f A ORNEY.

B. NOWOSIELSKI April 9, 1940.

MAGNETO GENERATOR Filed Sept. 29, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 I INVENTOR. llidbzess: I fklwaldflflowosiels'h' A ORNEY.

April 1940- E. B. INOWOSIELSKI 6,68

MAGNETO GENERATOR Filed Sept. 29, 1936 4 Sheets-She'et 4 INVENT OR.

Audi/mess: a:

m y M M Patented Apr. 9, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE to Bendix Aviation Corporation, Ind., a corporation of Delaware South Bend,

Application September 29, .1936, Serial No. 103,127

12 Claims.'

The present invention relates to a magneto generator and more particularly to a high tension generator for ignition of internal combustion en'- glnes. v

6 It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel magneto generator arranged to furnish a plurality of sparks per revolution, which is eflicient and reliable in operation and compact and rugged in construction.

It is another object to provide such a device in which the magnetic circuits are of especially low reluctance.

It is a further object to provide such a device in which the flux of the magnet is transmitted and utilized in a particularly eflective manner.

It is another object to provide such a device embodying a novel and improved form of automatic control for timing the breaker mechanism.

It is another object to provide such a device having a built-in spark advance and vacuumcontrolled retarding device.

It is another object to provide such a device which is adapted to operate at cam shaft speed of the engine to be ignited.

It is another object to provide such a device which is arranged to be installed on commercial forms of automobile engines without requiring special brackets or gears.

It is another object to provide such a. device which may be substituted for commercial forms of battery ignition devices for automobiles without the necessity of changing any other part of the vehicle or its equipment.

Further objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a verticalsection taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an expanded view in perspective of the rotor shaft with its speed-responsive driving mechanism; and

Fig. 5 is an expanded view in perspective of the elements of the rotor.

Referring first to Fig. 1 of the drawings, there is illustrated a casing member i provided with a mounting flange 2 arranged to conform with a seat provided on the frame of the engine to be ignited, not illustrated, and to be attached there- I to in any suitable manner. A coupling member 3 ll iliournalledasindieatedat4intheflange2 of the casing and is formed as indicated at 5 to cooperate with a mating coupling member driven from a shaft of the engine, such as the cam shaft thereof.

A rotor shaft 6 is fixedly mounted in the cou- 5 pling member 5 in any suitable way as by means of a cross pin 1 and is journalled at its opposite end as indicated at 8 in a wall 9 of a casing member I I complemental to the casing member i, and suitably fixed thereto as by means of bolts I2. 10

A hollow shaft or sleeve l3 of non-magnetic material is journalled on the rotor lhaftl as: by means of bushings i4 and carries a pair of non-magnetic circular plates l5 and it between which is mounted an axially arranged cylindri- 16 cal permanent magnet l1. As best shown in Fig. 5, the magnet I1 is provided with intersecting slots or channels i8 and i9 at one end and 2i and, 22 at the other end, and cross members or spiders 23 and 24 of highly permeable material 20 v such as laminated soft iron are providedwith inwardly projecting arms 25 and 26 respectively adapted to enter said slots or channels, and outwardly projecting arms 21 and 28 respectively extending beyond the periphery of the magnet. 5

Two groups of pole shoes 29 and 3i also formed of highly permeable material are arranged in alternate sequence about the periphery of the magnet extending longitudinally thereof and are provided with projections 32 and 33 arranged to 30 be received in openings 34 and 35 of the spiders 23 and 24 respectively.

The slots i8 i9 and 2|, 22 in the ends of the magnet i'! are staggered with respect to each other whereby the spiders 23 and 24 are angular- 35 1y displaced with respect to each other so that the rotor pole shoes 29 mounted in the spider 23 are intercalated between the pole shoes 3! mounted in the spider 24. The projections 32 and 33 of the pole shoes extend through the spiders 23 40 and 24 into openings 36 and 31 in the'non-magnetic end plates i5 and "Land the opposite ends of the pole shoes 29 and 3i are also provided with projections 38 and 39 respectively arranged to engage to engage in openings 4i and 42 in the end 5 plates l6 and i5 respectively whereby the pole shoes are supported at both ends rigidly while magnetically connected at one end only to one pole of the cylindrical magnet ll.

A cam 43 (Fig. 1) is mounted on the sleeve i3 50 beyond the end plate It, being keyed thereto as indicated at 44, and is retained against longitudinal displacement as by means of a flange 45 on the end of the sleeve. The entire rotor assembly is rigidly unified preferably by spinning over the end of the sleeve l3 against the plate l5 as indicated at 46.

The rotor is driven from the coupling member 3 by a centrifugally operated coupling indicated generally at 47 whereby the rotor is advanced with respect to the coupling member 3 and consequentlywith respect to the engine shaft during rapid rotation thereof. This coupling may be of any preferred form and is illustrated as comprising a pair of weight members 48 and 49 (Fig. 4) located between the coupling member 3 and the rotor plate I5 and arranged to provide an angularly variable connection therebetween. For this purpose, the coupling member 3 is provided with a pair of diametrically spaced openings 5| in which pivot pins 53 are fixedly mounted. Weight members 49 and 49 are provided with openings 58 adapted to receive the pins 53, said pins being preferably bushed as indicated at 52 to provide a suitable journal for the weight members. A pair of diametrically arranged drive pins 54, preferably bushed as shown at 55, are fixedly mounted in segmental openings 56 in the rotor plate I5, in position to bear against the heels 58 of the weight members 48 and 49, whereby outward movement of the weight members under the influence of centrifugal force causes the drive pins 54 to be pushed away from the pivot pins 53, causing the rotor to be advanced with respect to the COllDliIlg member 3. A spring 51 is provided for normally holding the weight members in collapsed position.

An external magnetc circuit is provided comprising a pair of annlzlar inductor members 59 and 6| (Fig. 1) rigidly mounted in any suitable way in the casing members I and I so as to surround the rotor and the pole shoes 29, 3| thereof in longitudinally spaced relation. The inductor 59 is provided with four inwardly extending projections 62 (Fig. 2), and the inductor 6| is provided with a corresponding number of inwardly extending projections 63. These projections closely surround the rotor pole shoes 29 and 3| and cooperate selectively therewith whereby each inductor is connected alternately with the groups of pole shoes 29 and 3| in sequence as the rotor revolves.

Inductors 59 and SI are provided with longitudinally inclined arms 64 and 65 respectively which are provided with extensions 66 and 61 arranged transverse to the rotor and forming a core for an induction coil 68 of conventional design.

The ungrounded primary lead 69 (Fig. 1) of the induction coil is connected to a breaker mechanism (Fig. 3) which is oscillatably mounted on the partition 9 of the casing II. The breaker mechanism comprises a mounting plate 1| journalled on a shoulder I2 of the partition for rotary movement limited in any suitable way as by means of pins I3 mounted in the partition and movable within slots I4 in plate 1|.

A breaker device indicated generally at I5 is mounted on the plate II and serves to ground the lead 69 periodically under the control of the cam 43 in a conventional manner.

Means are provided for rotating the plate II to retard the spark during slow rotation of the engine under heavy load. As here shown, this means is in the form of an arm- 16 extending from the plate II and having a pivotal connection 11 to a piston member 18 slidably mounted in a cylinder 19 formed in casing member A spring 8| is provided for normally rotating the arm I6 in position to retard the spark, and 2.

connection 82 is provided for receiving a conduit 83 communicating with the intake manifold, not illustrated, of the engine whereby vacuum in said intake manifold causes evacuation of the cylinder 19 whereby the piston I8 is caused to overcome the spring 8| and rotate the breaker plate II in a direction to advance the spark.

The tension of the spring 8| may be adjusted in any suitable manner as by means of the abutment bolt 84.

A distributor rotor 85 (Fig. 1) is non-rotatably mounted on the end of the rotor shaft 6 beyond the partition 9, and a distributor block 86 is mounted in the casing surrounding the distributor rotor 85. The distributor block is arranged to receive the secondary lead 81 from the induction coil 68 and conduct high tension current therefrom by means of a conductor 88 to a central electrode 89 arranged to cooperate with a conductor 9| carried by the distributor rotor. The distributor block is also provided with inwardly extending electrodes 92 and 93 arranged to receive high tension current from the terminals 94 and 95 respectively of the distributor rotor conductor 9|. Two groups of output leads 96 are connected to the electrodes 92 and 93 respectively on each side of the magneto, which leads are connected to the spark plugs of the engine to be ignited.

The distributor mechanism is preferably enclosed by .a cap 91 of any suitable character mounted on casing II and supporting the output leads 96.

In the operation of the device, rotation of the coupling member 3 from the cam shaft of the engine causes the magnetic rotor to revolve therewith, thus bringing the groups of rotor pole shoes 29 and 3| into cooperation with the stationary pole shoes 62 and 63 of the inductors 59 and 6| respectively in sequence. Since, as here illustrated, there are four each of pole shoes 29 and 3|, it will be seen that a reversal of flux through the inductors 59 and 6| and consequently through the induction coil 68 takes place for each 45 degrees of rotation of the rotor. The magneto therefore is adapted to provide eight sparks per revolution. The cam 43 is consequentlyprovided with eight lobes and operates to close and open the primary circuit of the coil eight times for each revolution.

During slow rotation of the engine, the centrifugal spark advance 41 is fully retarded, but when the engine speeds up, the centrifugal de-. vice operates to advance the rotor with respect to the engine shaft in the well-known manner.

When the engine is rotating slowly with a wide open throttle, the retarding device for the breaker operates by reason of the expansion of spring 8| to rotate the breaker plate 1| into retarded position. As soon as vacuum builds up in the engine intake, however, this vacuum causes the piston I8 to move in response thereto, compressing the spring 8| and rotating the breaker plate in a direction to advance the spark.

It will be observed that by reason of the novel arrangement of the magnetic circuits with the circular inductors arranged to cooperate with a plurality of rotor pole shoes simultaneously, and the spiders 23 and 24 extending into the slots in the ends of the magnet H, the flux of the magnet is transmitted very efliciently through the external magnetic circuit.

Although the device has been illustrated as arranged to furnish eight sparks per revolution and thus be adapted for use with an eight-cylinder engine, it will be readily understood that the novel arrangement and the design of the magnetic circuits is readily adaptable to other types of multi-cylinder engines, and various other changes may be made in the specific features of the device without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. In a magneto a casing having an end wall and a partition spaced therefrom in substantially parallel relation, a coupling member arranged to be driven from an engine, journalled in said end wall, a rotor shaft fixed in said coupling member and journalled in said partition, a magnetic rotor journalled on said shaft, an angularly variable connection between the coupling member and rotor, a breaker cam mounted on said rotor adjacent said partition, and breaker mechanism operable thereby, rotatably mounted on the partition.

2. In a magneto a casing having an end wall and a partition spaced therefrom in substantially parallel relation, a coupling member arranged to be driven from an engine, journalled in said end wall, a rotor shaft fixed in said coupling member and journalled in said partition, a magnetic rotor journalled on said shaft, a centrifugally controlled variable connection between the coupling member and rotor, a breaker cam mounted on said rotor adjacent said partition, breaker mechanism operable thereby, rotatably mounted on the partition, and means in said casing operable by a running function of the engine to control the angular relation of the breaker mechanism to the cam in accordance with load conditions of the engine.

3. In a magneto a casing having an end wall and a partition spaced therefrom in substantially parallel relation, a coupling member arranged to be driven from an engine, -journalled in said end wall, a rotor shaft fixed in said coupling member and journalled in said partition, 9. ma8- to overcome the yielding means and move the arm to advance the breaker mechanism.

4.1nahightensionmagnetogeneratorarotor comprising a generally cylindrical magnet with axially arranged poles, two groups of pole shoes axially arranged about the periphery of the magnet,radiallyspaoedtherefrom; means for conducting flux from each pole of the magnet tooneofsaidgroupsofrotorpoleshoes,anda pair of stator pole shoe members surrolmding said rotor adjacent the ends thereof and havshoes.

.Inamagnetorotoragenerallycylindrical magnethavingaxiallyloeated poles,thepolar faces of said magnet having transverse slots formed therein, pole shoes arranged coaxially themagnet,andmeans traversing said slob forconductingfiuxn'omthemagnsttosaidpole 6. In a magneto rotor, a generally cylindrical magnet having axially located poles, the polar faces of said magnet having radial slots formed therein, pole shoes arranged coaxially to the magnet, radially spaced therefrom, and cross members of highly permeable material traversing said slots and extending radially therefrom for conducting flux from the magnet to said pole shoes.

'7. In a magneto rotor, a generally cylindrical magnet having axially located poles, the polar faces of said magnet having radial slots formed therein, pole shoes arranged coaxially to the magnet, radially spaced therefrom, cross members filling said slots and extending radially into engagement with said pole shoes, and non-ma netic means formed to receive the ends of the pole shoes and retain the pole shoes and cross members in assembled relation.

8. In a magneto a shaft, a rotor mounted thereon including a cylindrical magnet and a plurality of peripheral longitudinally extending pole shoes of opposite polarity arranged in sequenoe, anchored at both ends to said shaft, a

stator having an external magnetic circuit ineluding a pair of ring-shaped inductors surrounding axially spaced portions of the rotor and having inwardly extending pole shoes adapted to cooperate selectively with the rotor pole shoes of each polarity in sequenc, and an induction i coil arranged transverse-to the axis of the rotor, said external magnetic circuit including core elements traversing said coil, and inclined portions connecting the inductor rings thereto.

9. In a magneto rotor a' cylindrical magnet having polar end surfaces traversed by radial slots, permeable cross members fitting in said slots and having radial extensions in alignment with said slots, and pole shoes mounted in said extensions coaxially to' the magnet.

10. In a magneto a rotor including a cylindrical magnet having polar end surfaces traversed by radial slots, the slots in each end being in staggered relation, permeable cross members flt- 'ting in said slots and having radial extensions molmted in said extensions coaxially to the magnet in overlapping staggered relation, an induction coil, and means including a pair of inductor rings arranged to cooperate alternately with said sets of pole shoes and conduct the flux therefrom through said coil.

12. In a magneto a rotor including a cylindrical magnet having polar end surfaces traversed by radial slots, the slots in each end being in staggered relation, permeable cross members fltting in said slots and having radial extensions in alignment with said slots, two sets of pole shoes moimted in said extensions coaxially to the magnet in overlapping staggered relation, an induction coil, and means including a pair of axially spaced inductor rings having inwardly projecting a pole shoes in staggered relation arranged to cooperate alternately with said sets of pole shoe! and cause the flux therefrom to reciprocate through the coil when the rotor revolves.

, EDWARD 3. NOW 

